Field
The methods and systems herein relate to orthopedic surgical techniques and in particular to the field of tissue microfracture.
Description of Related Art
Microfracture techniques are used to induce tissue repair or fibrocartilage repair of cartilage defects in articular surfaces. A surgeon may practice microfracture techniques with a sharp tipped tissue pick tool used to impact a tissue or bone. To repair bone, surgeons generally pass the sharp tipped tissue pick tool through a surgical portal made in soft tissue to reach a bone. The sharp tipped tissue pick tool can badly damage articular surfaces during this process. Also, when a sharp tipped tissue pick is presented to the bone at an angle and then struck with a mallet it can slide on the bone creating undesirable groves in the bone surface rather than producing surgically advantageous micro fractures.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0235419 A1 to Steinwachs et. al., filed Mar. 3, 2006 entitled “Medical Instrument for Performing Microfracturing in a Bone”, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses an instrument to perform bone microfracture in a bone.